TRANSFORM A MANNEQUIN PIN CUSHION INTO A BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL VICTORIAN JEWELRY HOLDER

An Easy No Sew Craft Project For All Ages

I'm happy to bring you another fun and easy craft project from Dove Originals Trims. This attractive project is a great way to use up scraps of lace trim, beaded trim, beads, pearls, ribbon, and other trim odds and ends. With supervision a child could make this project (using fabric glue or a low heat glue gun); it would make a charming gift. I created this jewelry holder for the sheer enjoyment of looking at some of my glittery and colorful stick pins, necklaces, and pins. She stands on a chest in my bedroom beside a collection of family photos in beaded frames.

Materials:

• A purchased pin cushion. I used a mannequin but depending upon your decorating theme, other styles can be used.
• Bits of lace trim, beads, braid, gimp, and satin roses.
• A hot glue gun or fabric glue.
• Optional: Acrylic paint for any exposed wood.
• Lot of jewelry such as stickpins, pins, bracelets, and so forth.

The base of this mannequin is a pink pin cushion about 16 inches tall that I purchased on sale at a local discount store.

I painted the base and the knob at the top of the pin cushion with metallic gold acrylic paint, and I used my glue gun (fabric glue can also be used) to add long beaded fringe to the mannequin's bottom edge. Next, I added bows, hand painted lace, pearls, etc. to complete the design. The final touch, of course, was to pile on the jewelry. In keeping with Victorian philosophy, more is always better!

This project is so easy that even an older child can do it. There's little that you can do that wouldn't work just fine, and it's a great way to use up those bits and pieces of trims that you've collected. Enjoy!

By Florence Dove Google